Never rely on the PDF a supplier sends. Check the issuing body’s own database instead. For Oeko-Tex, enter the certificate number in the official Oeko-Tex Label Check and confirm that the company name, validity date, product class, and listed articles match your order. For WRAP, search the official WRAP facility database and confirm that the specific factory making your goods holds an active certificate. Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certificates last one year, so last season’s document proves very little. Wadhsons has managed China-based production for 35+ years and works with certified partners such as Oeko-Tex and WRAP. From a denim specialist’s perspective, forgery is usually not the hardest problem. Scope is: a genuine fabric certificate may say nothing about the rivets, the leather patch, or the sewing unit that assembles the jeans.
About the Author: This guide comes from the sourcing and compliance team at Wadhsons. The company was founded in 1985, is based in Hong Kong with an office in Guangzhou, and specializes in denim design and manufacturing. It manages production through vetted partner factories and mills, including Oeko-Tex and WRAP certified partners.
A certificate covers your product only when three things line up: the right entity, the right items, and the right dates.
The two schemes certify different things. That is why scope errors happen.
Oeko-Tex Standard 100 is a product certificate. A lab tests the articles for harmful substances, and certification is granted only if every result stays below the set limits. For a finished garment, each component must meet the requirements. Certified denim fabric alone does not make a jean certified if the thread, zip, buttons, pocketing, or labels are not covered.
WRAP is a facility certificate. A restaurant hygiene rating is a useful comparison. Inspectors rate each individual kitchen, not the chain, because hygiene depends on the people and conditions in that one building. WRAP works the same way. A rating at one site tells you nothing about a sister factory or a subcontractor down the road.
Since scope is the real test, Oeko-Tex certificate verification is a short database check followed by a careful reading of what the database says.
The holder will often be the mill, not your garment factory. That is acceptable for fabric, but you need to know whose certificate covers which component.
A related but distinct question is whether the place making your product meets social compliance standards. WRAP addresses this. It certifies individual production facilities in the sewn products, apparel, and footwear sectors, not brands or holding companies. The WRAP 12 principles cover labor practices, health and safety, environmental responsibility, and customs compliance. They require adherence to local laws and prohibit forced labor, child labor, discrimination, and harassment.
To verify a WRAP certificate:
With the verification steps in place, it helps to know what they are designed to catch.
| Misuse | What it looks like | How to catch it |
|---|---|---|
| Expired certificate | Valid last year, never renewed | Validity date in the database |
| Edited PDF | Dates changed on the file | Database dates differ from the PDF |
| Wrong product category | Valid certificate for a different article | Article list and product class |
| Wrong facility | A sister factory’s certificate | Exact name and address match |
| Uncertified trims | Certified fabric with uncovered buttons or patches | Bill of materials compared with scope |
| Brand-level WRAP claim | “Our brand is WRAP certified” | WRAP lists facilities only |
Building on the misuse patterns above, a quieter risk is asking for the wrong certificate in the first place.
| Label | What it certifies | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Oeko-Tex Standard 100 | Articles tested for harmful substances | Organic content. Since April 1, 2025, these certificates exclude organic and GMO-free cotton claims [textiletechsource.com] |
| Oeko-Tex STeP certification | Production facilities, on environmental and social management | That a specific article was tested |
| Oeko-Tex MADE IN GREEN | Products traceable to production in certified facilities. Requires Standard 100, Organic Cotton, or Leather Standard product certification [oeti.biz] | Fiber origin on its own |
| GOTS | Organic fiber content and organic processing rules | Harmful substance testing of the kind Standard 100 performs |
| WRAP | Social compliance at a single facility | Chemical safety of the product |
On Oeko-Tex vs GOTS, the two are not substitutes. Standard 100 answers whether the product is safe against tested substances. GOTS answers whether the fiber is organic and was processed under organic rules. If your marketing says “organic,” a Standard 100 certificate alone will not support that claim.
Pulling the steps together, a supplier vetting checklist turns one-off checks into a routine.
Planning for certificate scope works best at the design stage, before any trims are locked in. This is one reason Wadhsons pairs its in-house design department with compliance management and inspections at every stage, from raw materials through final packing.
How long is an Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certificate valid?
One year. Renewal requires new laboratory testing.
What is the Oeko-Tex certification cost?
It varies with the number of articles and components, the product class, and the testing institute. The certificate holder, usually the mill or factory, applies and pays for it.
Can a brand be WRAP certified?
No. WRAP certifies individual production facilities only.
Does an Oeko-Tex label check prove a product is organic?
No. Standard 100 tests articles for harmful substances. It does not certify organic fiber content.
How does STeP differ from Standard 100?
STeP certifies facilities. Standard 100 certifies articles.
How often should I re-verify?
Re-verify at onboarding, at each purchase order, before shipment, and whenever a certificate approaches expiry.
Does Wadhsons hold these certificates itself?
No. Wadhsons works with certified partners such as Oeko-Tex and WRAP, and those partner facilities hold the certificates.
Wadhsons is a Hong Kong-based supply chain and sourcing partner founded in 1985, with 35+ years of China-based sourcing experience and offices and teams across key production markets. The company is known for its denim design and manufacturing, its strong in-house design department, and its ability to source premium fabrics at reasonable prices. It covers the full process from product development and sampling through quality control, manufacturing management, and logistics. Its work with certified partner factories and mills is backed by a commitment to ESG performance and data-driven supply chain management.
If you want a sourcing partner who checks certificate scope as carefully as stitch quality, visit Wadhsons to get in touch.
